10.7% of complaints about the 2011 Ford Flex came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2011 vehicle — around the middle of the 203 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is steering (57 complaints), typically at 8.8 yr or about 118,000 miles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.
If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
CAR SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY AND ONCE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN BOTH TIMES POWER STEERING WAS GONE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING BECAUSE IT DID NOT LEAVE A SIGNATURE. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS NOW. *TR
INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD. FAILURES ON INITIAL VEHICLE START, TRACTION/STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE IS INDICATED. STEERING WHEEL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN DUE TO LACK OF POWER ASSIST. TURNING CAR OFF AND RESTARTING WILL CLEAR FAILURE INDICATION. REPORTED TO FORD DEALER, FORD WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE INTERMITTENT ISSUE. *TR
DRIVING MY 2011 FORD FLEX A WARNING CAME ON FOR "SERVICE POWER STEERING" BEFORE THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING AND THE INCIDENT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR
MY VEHICLE WILL ACT AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL WHEN I PULL AWAY FROM A STOP. THE ENGINE REVS WITH NO FORWARD MOVEMENT THEN THE TRANSMISSION "BANGS" INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDS. THE HESITATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM OTHER OWNERS ON THE FORDFLEX.NET FORUM ABOUT THIS, FORD HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HELP ME RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *TR